Pipe coating apparatus



Nov. 16, 1937.

A. G. PERKINS PIPE COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 27, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet \xw ww Nov. 16, 1937. v A, ERK S 2,099,076

PIPE COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 16, 1937. v A, G PERKINS 2,099,076

PIPE COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheet-Sheet 3 flifarng v -1 1937. A. G. PERKINS PIPE COATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Sept. 27, 193

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 27, 1932, Serial No. 635,038 Renewed February 28, 1936 17 Claims. (01. 25-38) This invention relates to an apparatus which has been designed more particularly for applying a protective coating or lining tothe inner walls of pipe lines, such as steel pipe lines, to prevent the formation of barnacles thereon.

One of its objects is the provision of an emcient apparatus of this character which is designed and constructed to travel through the pipe line and aslit does so automatically apply onto the pipe-wall an even and durable coating of'protective material, such as concrete.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and eflective means for conveying the coating material to its point of discharge, and for thoroughly and effectually agitating and breaking up the material just prior 'to its discharge, in combination with means for delivering 'or discharging the material by centrifugal force and impacting it against the pipe wall.

' 20 Another object of the invention is the provision of an emcient trowel mechanism for troweling the material as it is applied to the pipe wall.

Another object is to provide a pipe coating apparatus of this character having a feed mecha- 25 nism associated therewith which is designed to receive the coating material from a point externally of the pipe line and thence deliver itto the conveying mechanism of the apparatus which in turn delivers the material to the point of dis- 30 charge.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is a, sideelevation of my improved coating apparatus, the same being shown within a pipe line for treating the interior wall thereof with a protective coating. Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus arranged within the pipe. Figure 3 is a rear view of the same likewise arranged within the pipe. Figure l is an enlarged central the same in operation in'a pipe line. Figure 5 tion taken in the plane of line 6-45, Figure 4. Figure -7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical 50 section of the dispensing head of theapparatus.

Fgure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of the is an enlarged face viewof thetroweling mecha-.- nism. Figure 6 is an enlarged 'transverse .sec-

modified arrangement of the dispensing head of the apparatus.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

While my apparatus may be employed for coat- 5 ing difierent kinds of work, it has been primarily designed for treating the inner walls of steel pipe lines with a protective coating, such for example,

as a plastic-like material as concrete. To this essentially a hopper or container for the coating -material having a conduit or feed pipe connected therewith, means for conveying the material from the hopper to the conduit, a dispensing or discharge head into which the material is delivered and from which it is discharged by centrifugal force onto the pipe wall, means for troweling the material after it has been applied to the pipewall, and means for selectively controlling the discharge of the material from the dispensing head, as when the machine is traversing a curved section in the pipe line. -In addition to these features, the apparatus includes a feed mechanism which is operatively associated with the feed hopper and which is propelled through the pipe of the. carriage, this feed mechanism being adapted to continuously or intermittently receive coating material from a point externally of the pipe line.

Referring now to the drawings, indicates a section of the steel pipe line through which my apparatus is designed to travel for treating or coating the inner wall thereof with a covering of concrete or like plastic or semi-solid material. The carriage of the apparatus, which carries its working parts, may be of any appropriate construction, that shown in the drawings by way of 40 example, consisting of a structural steel frame ll'provided at one end with traction or supporting wheels 12 mountedon a transverse axle I3 journaled on said frame and provided at its opposite end with a steering wheel or caster I4 mounted on a swiveling fork l5 suitably supported on the frame. Motion is transmitted to the traction wheels from an electric or like motor l6 mounted on the carriage-frame, the drive from themotor'consisting, for example, of gear trains I1 and I8, a speed transmission IS, a third gear train 20 and thence by a sprocket drive 2| to a longitudinalshaftfl having a worm 23 thereon meshing with a worm wheel 24 fixed on the axle I3. The speed transmission I9 is preferably employed for the purpose of propelling the carriage through the pipe at different speeds and thereby govern. the thickness of the coating material applied to the pipe wall. For the purpose of this description, the wheels maybe considered as mounted at the rear end of the machine and the steering or caster wheel l4 arranged at the front end .of the machine.

Disposed at the front end of the machine is a feed hopper or container 25 for the coating material which is substantially funnel-shaped and terminates at its rear or smaller end in a substantially cylindrical feed conduit or passage 28 which is disposed lengthwise and centrally of the machine and approximately axially of the pipe 10. At its upper front end this hopper has. an inlet or opening 21 through which the prepared coating material is delivered to the feed hopper. Extending axially through this hopper and its communicating conduit is a tubular shaft 28 which is journaled at one end in the end wall of the hopper and at its opposite end in a closure plate or plug 29 fitted in the rear end of the conduit 26. Applied to the front end of this'shaft and operating in the cylindrical or front portion of the hopper 25 are a series of paddles 30 which act to propel the coating material into the conical portion of the hopper, and disposed within such conical portion and mounted on the said shaft 28 is a conical-shaped screw conveyor 3| which forces the material to the mouth of the conduit 23 and through which it is conveyed by an extension 32 of the screw conveyor 3|. To prevent an undue pressure being exerted by the material as it is propelled by the conical conveyor 3|, and particularly the creation of a pressure at the mouth of the conduit 26, I preferably provide the hopper with a relief passage or compartment 33 which is disposed at the top side of the hopper and formedbetween its top wall and a partition wall 34 disposed in arcuate-like fashion in the conical portion of the hopper, as seen in Figure-4. By this construction and arrangement of parts, any surplus of the coating material is allowed to be directed outwardly'through the passage 33 and thence return back and empty into the front portion of the hopper. While relieving the pres sure of the material at the mouth of the conduit 26, this construction does not interfere with a continuous and proper supply of the coating material being conveyed through the conduit "26.v

The tubular shaft 28, upon which the paddles 30 and screw conveyor 3|, 32 are mounted, is driven at a comparatively slow speed by the motor l6, as for example, by a driven shaft 35 journaled on the frame ll and connected at one end to the gear train I 3 and having at its opposite end a pinion 36 meshing through interposed reductiongearing 31 with a gear 38 mounted on the front end of said shaft 28.

The means for dispensing or discharging the coating material by centrifugal force and impactit be journaled in suitable bearings 4| applied to a the rear portion of the carriage-frame ll. Formed between the ported ends of the conduit 26 and the revolving member 40 is an annular space or chamber 42 into which the material is directed from the discharge ports and from which it is discharged onto the pipe wall. For effecting the discharge of the material from this chamber onto the pipe wall, I preferably employ a plurality of radial discharge nozzles, jets or pipes 43 which are disp-sed in more or less contiguous relation about the tubular member 40 and revolve therewith at a comparatively high speed, say about 1000 R. P. M., whereby the material is discharged from these jets in comparatively thin sheets, strips or streams with the result that it is impacted against and distributed uniformly and evenly over the pipe wall. A suitable closure ring 44 may be applied to therrear end of the chamber between the feed conduit 26 and the tubular member 40 and air inlets 45 are provided which open into the chamber 42 for the purpose of delivering air thereto, the air being drawn into the same by the centrifugal force created by the revolving jet-carrying member 40 and acting to break up and agitate the coating material and to discharge itfrom the jets in the form of a stream-like mass. The tubular member 40 which carries the revolving jets 43 may be rotated from the motor I6 through the medium of a belt 46 and pulley 41.

For the purpose of keeping the coating material at its proper consistency before being discharged through the ports 39 into the chamber 42 the material is kept in motion at the discharge end of the feed conduit by a suitable agi-'- tator or bladed wheel 48 which may be mounted directly on the feed screw extension32, tending to direct the material toward said ports.

the coating material, such as concrete, and-forcing it through the tangentially disposed ports 39 into the chamber-42, from whence it is discharged from the jet pipes 43 and impacted against the pipe-wall, the moisture in the concrete being centrifugally forced outwardly and acting to adhere the coating to the wall, after which the moisture works itself to the surface. For the purpose of directing the coating material from the conduit through these ports, the inner ends of such ports have a portion of their walls projecting inwardly beyond the inner periphery of the conduit, as indicated at 49, in Figure 6, to form teats or burrs which cut into and intercept the material as it is agitated by the bladed wheel.

Mountedon the rear end of the machine is a troweling mechanism for the purpose of smoothing out the coating material after it has been applied to the pipe-wall. In its preferred construction this troweling mechanism consists of one or more revolving arms 50, two being shown in the drawings disposed side by side, one being mounted on the rear end of the tubular conveyor shaft 28 and the other one on a drive shaft 5| which extends through the tubular shaft and is suitably supported thereby. Said shaft 5| is driven by a chain and sprocket drive 52, which in the example, shown in Figure 4, is geared to the reduction gearing 31, so as to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the tubular shaft 28. Each of the arms 50 exfulcrumed thereto intermediate its ends, as seen at 54. Riveted or otherwise fixedly secured at 55 to each lever 53 is a trowel 56 which may be arcuate in cross section, as shown, its convex outer surface bearing against the coating material on the pipe. The attaching shank 51 of each trowel is connected by a link with an actuating or control lever or handle 59 fulcrumed intermediate its ends to swing vertically, the lever companion to the outer arm 56 being pivoted on a stud 60 secured thereto, and the lever companion to the inner arm being fulcrumed on the tubular shaft 28, as seen in Figure 7. As'shown in Figure 5, the trowel-carrying levers 53 are disposed in opposing relation circumferentially of the pipe and to this end the levercarrying arm 50 is substantially S-shaped in plan so that during the rotation of the trowel mechanism both trowels 56 ride over the coating material in a trailing like fashion. Springs 6| between the levers 53 and the adjoining portions of the arm 50 serve to constantly urge the trowels 56 into yielding contact with the pipe-wall. To accommodate the trowel to any unevenness of the pipe-wall and to permit it to at-all times follow incontact with the coating material, the shank 51 of each trowel contains a longitudinal slot 62 which permits a certain amount of move- I ment of the trowel and its carrying lever 53 relative to the link 58. By swinging the control levers 59 about their pivots, the trowels 56 may be retracted from the pipe-wall and may be held in such position by any appropriate means, or by shifting each lever to a position past a dead center line between its fulcrum and the points of connection of the respective links 58.

For the purpose of effecting an even distribution of the coating material over the pipe walls at a bend in the pipe line, I provide means for controlling the discharge of the coating mate-' rial from the ports 39 in such a manner that a less amount of material is discharged on the inside curved portion of the pipe than on the outside curved portion thereof. To accomplish this result, shutters or valve-like elements 63 are applied longitudinally on the outside face of the conduit 26, each of these elements being substantially semi-circular in cross section and being adapted to slide lengthwise of the conduit to cover or uncover the ports 39 bounded thereby. These semi-circular valve sleeves may be pointed at their'forward ends, as seen by dotted lines in Figures 48, so as to effect a gradual covering or uncovering of the ports and thereby gauge the proper amount of coating material to be discharged from one side or the other of the conduit. These valve sleeves may be actuated, for example, by a control handle 64 connected by a link 65 to a rock lever 66 which is in turn connected by a link 61 with the corresponding valve sleeve. By shifting this lever forwardly or backwardly, the corresponding sleeves are shifted in a like direction to control the amount of material to be discharged through the ports 39.

Operatively connected with the carriage and movable therewith through the pipe line during the coating operation, is a feed mechanism which keeps the feed hopper constantly suppl ed with the necessary charge of coating material, and which feed mechanism is arranged to receive the coating material from a point externally of the pipe. For thispurpose, I prov. de an auxiliary frame structure 68 which extends forwardly from the carriage-frame l I and which is connected at one end therewith by a swivel connection 69. At its opposite end this auxiliary frame carries supporting wheels III which are mounted on steering knuckles II supported on yokes I2 secured to said frame. Mounted at the front and rearends of this auxiliary frame are drums or pulleys I3 and passing about these is a conveyor belt I4 which may be driven from a suitable motor I5 through the medium of a belt and pulley connection I6. This conveyor belt is adapted to receive, from a point externally of the pipe, a supply of coating material to be delivered to the hopper 25 and in the example shown in the drawings, the material may be fed to the conveyor through a suitable chute II whose discharge end extends through an opening I8 in the pipe-line, the latter being provided with a series of such openings throughout its length. By this construction, the hopper 25 is kept supplied with a charge of coating material, the same being discharged from the rear end of the conveyor belt 14 into the opening 21 of the feed hopper. t

It is desirable, inasmuch as pipe lines are more or less curved, to provide means for steering the carriage of this apparatus so that it travels axially in the true path of the pipe line, and for this purpose it is likewise desirable that the steering means be automatic in operation. To this end, .I provide the steering wheel or caster ll of the carriage-frame II and the supporting wheels ID of the auxiliary or conveyor frame 68 with automatic means for keeping the machine in its proper position within the pipe, so that in the event the machine would start to climb the pipe-wall, as when encountering a curved section of the pipe, said wheels I4 and I0 would be turned in the proper direction to steer the machine in its proper course. The preferred means for eifecting the automatic steering of the ma chine, in the case of the caster 14, consists of a pendant vertically swinging arm I9 pivoted to the carriage frame rearwardly of the caster and provided at its lower end with a weight 8|]. Connecting this weighted arm with the swiveling fork of the caster is a horizontally swinging lever 81 fulcrumed intermediate its ends to a bracket 82, so that .as the weight is caused to swing in one direction or the other the caster fork is turned in a direction to properly guide the carriage in an axial course through the pipe.

It will be noted that the traction wheels l2, l2 and steering wheel I4 are so disposed as to provide a three point wheeled contact of the carriage with the pipe, the traction wheels contact; ing the bottom of the pipe at opposite sides of its center and the steering wheel contacting the bottom of the pipe at its longitudinal center. The dispensing member of the coating apparatus is disposed at that end of the carriage bearing the traction wheels and where there is the least lateral movement of the carriage, whereby the traction wheels constitute a centralizing means for maintaining the dispensing member substantially axially of the pipe at all times and keeping the discharge nozzles 43 at a constant and predetermined distance from the pipe-wall to assure an even distribution of the coating material thereon.

The means for automatically steering the wheel ID of the conveyor-frame 68 is similar to that justdescribed for the caster wheels I4, such means consisting of a pendant arm 83 suspended from the conveyor frame forwardly of the wheel I0 and provided at its lower end with a weight 84. This weighted arm is operatively connected to the steering knuckles II of the wheels 10, so that any movement of the weighted arm out of its normal vertical position would be transmitted to these knuckles and steer the wheels in the proper direction to guide the conveyor frame properly J extends through an opening 86 in such bar, so

that any movements of the weighted arm are promptly transmitted to the tie rod .to automatically steer the conveyor frame in its proper course.

In Figure 11 I have shown a modified form of dispensing head, the same consisting of a plurality of units mounted to revolve in opposite di-. rections so as to effectually and thoroughly coat the pipe, whether the same be smooth-bored or whether it be provided with longitudinal seams, ribs or like projections. By way of example, I have shown two of such dispensing units, indicated generally by the numerals 81 and 88, mounted side by side at the discharge end of the feed conduit 26, whose construction is identical with that heretofore described As these dispensing units are identical in construction, a description of one will suffice for both. Each of these units preferably embodies a self-contained driving mechanism which may be in the form of an electric motor'including a stator or/field 89 rigidly secured to the feed conduit in encircling relation thereto, and a rotor or armature 90 revolvably mounted on the feed conduit and having a sleeve-like extension 9| projecting axially therefrom and in spaced concentric relation about the feed conduit ports 39 to provide a dispensing chamber 9'42. Projecting radially from .the armature sleeve 9| are a plurality of discharge jets or pipes 93 which revolve therewith about the ported end of the feed conduit, so that as these units are revolved in opposite directionspipe, means applied thereto for receiving a supply of coating material and having a feed conduit disposed substantially axiallyof the pipe, the dis charge end of said conduit having discharge ports therein disposed substantially tangentially thereof and terminating at their inner ends in projections extending into the conduit, a revolving agitator arranged within said conduit adjacent its ports, the projecting ends of the latter cutting into and intercepting the agitated material and means for feeding the material through said conduit toward its discharge ports.

2. An apparatus for lining pipe walls comprising a structure adapted to travel through the pipe, means applied thereto for receiving a supply of coating material and having a feed conduit disposed substantially axially of the pipe, .the discharge end of said conduit having discharge ports therein disposed substantially tangentially thereof and terminating at their inner ends in projections extending into the conduit, means for feeding the material through said:' conduit toward itsv discharge ports, a revolving chamber in communicating relation with said ports and having means projecting radially therefrom for conducting the material bypentrifugal force onto the mounted on said carriage substantially axially'of the pipe and provided at its discharge end with ports, a feed screw in said conduit for feeding the material toward its discharge ports and operatively connected to said motive unit to be driven at a comparatively slow speed thereby, and a resaid member being operatively connected to said motive unitto be driven thereby at a comparatively high speed.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a substantially horizontal hopper having a conical portion terminating at its discharge end in a conduit, and a conical-shaped feed screw arranged in the conical portion of said hopper and having an extension disposed in said conduit, the conical portion of said hopper adjacent its juncture with said conduit having an enlargement forming a passage for conducting any surplus of material back to the enlarged end of the hopper. l

5. An apparatus for lining pipe walls, comprising a carriage adapted to travel through the pipe, a feed conduit applied thereto and adapted for communication at one end with a source of coating material and having discharge ports at its opposite end, a tubular shaft extending through said conduit and having means thereon for propelling the material therethrough toward its discharge ports, a revolving dispensing member including a chamber in communication with said ports and having jet pipes projecting therefrom for delivering the material centrifugally onto the pipe wall, said chamber having an inlet opening into the same, an agitating element arranged in said conduit adjacent its discharge ports, a shaft extending through said tubular shaft, means on said last-named shaft and said tubular shaft for troweling the material after it has been deposited on the pipe-wall, and means for rotating said shafts and said dispensing member.

6. An apparatus for lining pipe-walls, comprising a feed conduit. adapted for communication with a source of coating material and having discharge ports therein, means for feeding the coating material through said conduit and its discharge ports, a revolving dispensing member in communication with said ports for delivering the material centrifugally onto the pipe-wall, and means for troweling the material after it has been deposited on the pipe-wall, said troweling means consisting of a rotary arm having a lever. pivoted thereto adjacent its outer end, a trowel applied to said lever, and means for yieldingly urging said trowel-carrying lever toward the pipe-wall.

7. An apparatus for lining pipe-walls, comprising va feed conduit adapted for communication with a source of coating material and having discharge ports therein, means for feeding the coat- "ing material through said conduit and its discharge ports, a revolving dispensing member in communication with said ports for delivering the material centrifugally onto the pipe-wall, and

means for troweling the material after its has been deposited on the pipe-wall, said troweling aooaove means consisting of a rotary arm having a lever pivoted thereto adjacent its outer end, a trowel applied to said lever, means for urging said trowel-carrying lever toward the pipe-wall, and manually-controlled means for shifting said lever in the opposite direction to retract the trowel from the pipe-wall.

8. A troweling mechanism for pipe coating apparatus, comprising a rotatable arm, a lever pivoted adjacent the outer end of said arm to swing in the plane thereof, a trowel applied to said lever, and means for yieldingly urging said trowelcarrying lever in a direction toward the pipewall. I

9. A troweling mechanism for pipe coating apparatus, comprising a rotatable arm, a lever pivoted adjacent the outer end of said arm to swing in the plane thereof, a trowel applied to said lever, means for yieldingly urging said trowel-carrying lever in a direction toward the pipe-wall, a control handle fulcrumed at the inner end of said arm, and a connection between said handle and said trowel-carrying lever.

10. A troweling mechanism for pipe coating apparatus, comprising a rotatable arm, a lever pivoted adjacent the outer end of said arm to swing in the plane thereof, a trowel applied to said lever, means for yieldingly urging said trowel-carrying lever in a direction toward the pipe-wall, a control handle fulcrumed at the inner end of said arm, and a link between said handle and said trowel-carrying lever, said link having a loose connection with said lever to permit a radial movement of the trowel relative to the link.

11. The combination with an apparatus for lining pipe walls, of a carriage adapted to travel through the pipe,,a conduit mounted thereon for communication with a source of coating material and having discharge ports therein, and valve elements applied to said conduit for governing the passage of material therethrough.

12. The combination with an apparatus 'for lining pipe walls, of a carriage adapted to travel through the pipe, a conduit mounted thereon for communication with a source of coating material and having discharge ports in the sides thereof, and valve-like sleeves applied to diametrically opposite sides of said conduit for movement lengthwise thereof to control the discharge of material at opposite sides of the conduit.

13. An apparatus for lining pipe walls, comprising a, feed conduit adapted for communication with a'source of coating material and having two annular rows of discharge ports therein,

55 means for feeding the material through said conduit toward its discharge ports, a pair of revolving dispensing members applied to said conduit and each in communicating relation with a corthe material by centrifugal force onto the pipewall, and means for rotating said dispensing members in opposite directions.

14. An apparatus for lining pipe walls, comprising a feed conduit adapted for communication with a source of coating material and having two annular rows of discharge ports therein, means for feeding the material through said conduit toward its discharge ports, a pair of revolving dispensing members applied to said conduit and each in communicating relation with a corresponding row of discharge ports for projecting the material by centrifugal force onto the pipewall, each of said dispensing members including a self-contained driving unit consisting of a stator, a rotor having an extension encircling said conduit and forming a chamber therewith in communicating relation with the corresponding discharge ports, and jet pipes radiating from said rotor-extension.

15. A- troweling mechanism for pipe coating apparatus, comprising a rotatable arm, a lever pivoted adjacent the outer end of said arm to swing in the plane thereof, a trowel applied to said lever, means for yieldingly urging said trowel-carrying lever in a direction toward the pipe-wall, an actuating element and means connecting said trowel-carrying lever with said actuating element for shifting said lever and its trowel toward and from the pipe-wall.

16. An apparatus for lining pipe walls, comprising a feed conduit adapted for communication with a source of coating material having discharge ports therein, means for feeding the coating material through said conduit and its discharge ports, a revolving dispensing member in communication with said ports for delivering the material centrifugally onto the pipe wall, and valve elements applied to said conduit for governing the passage of material therethrough into the dispensing member.

1'7. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a, feeding means for coating material, a dispensing member disposed for receiving material from said feeding means, and a motor for rotating said dispensing member, said motor having its stator connected to said feeding means and its rotor connected to said dispensing member. 

